Brake



March 28, 1939.

R. A. GOEPFRICH BRAKE Filed Aug. 27, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 1900011 16 A 605/ lP/CH ATTORNEY March 28, 1939. R. A GOEPFRICH BRAKE Filed Aug. 27, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Z/ fi A. 605/; /C'

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE or to Bendix Products Corporation,

South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application August 2'7, 1936, Serial No. 98,210

- 9 Claims. (Cl. 188-795) This invention relates to brakes and more particularly to adjusting devices therefor, and is illustrated as applied to a brake of the internalexpanding shiftable-anchorage type.

One object of the invention is to provide automatic means for accomplishing complete service adjustment of a brake.

Another object is to provide adjusting devices operable by the shifting of the shoes in a shiftable anchorage brake.

Another object is to provide an adjusting device which makes very minute adjustments. v

Still another object is to provide an automatic centering device for supporting the shoes of a brake in proper relation to the drum.

' Other objects comprise the use of a single anchor providing separate adjustment for the anchorage of both shoes in a shiftable anchorage brake, the formation of a hydraulic cylinder-in an integral structure with such anchorage, and

the provision of a pair of adjacent anchors providing individual adjustment for the shoes.

I prefer to accomplish some of the above objects by providing sockets in thrust relation to the floating ends of the shoes, and providing a thrust member between the sockets, at least one end of which threadedly engages one of the soclset zsf- A ratchet wheel on the thrust member is operatively engaged by a pawl secured to a lever adapted to rest against an abutment upon the brake backing plate against which it may be urged by a suitable spring.

I prefer to form very fine teeth upon the ratchet wheel, and if a double screw-threaded thrust member is used, to employ a lost motion device between the lever and the pawl in order to pro-: vide minute increments of adjustment.

For centering the shoes the invention provides a sensing element adapted to follow the movements of the shoes and which moves freely a distance equal to the normal clearance of the shoes but which engages a stop element and moves it to a new position upon excessive movement of the shoes.

The above and other objects and particular constructions of my invention will'in'ore fully appear in the following detailed description of the several embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical section through one form of brake embodying my invention, just inside the head of the brake drum, and showing the shoes in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a partial section, on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, through the anchoring means;

' of the brake.

Figure 3 is a partial section, on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing a transverse section of the automatic adjusting device;

Figure 4 is a partial section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing a top plan view of the 5 automatic adjuster;

Figure 5 is a partial section on the line 55 of Figure 1, showing a bottom plan view of the adjuster;

Figure 6 is a section corresponding to Figure 1, 10 but showing a modification;

Figure 7 is a partial section on the line 'l--! of Figure 6, through the anchoring means;

Figure 8 is a partial section on the line 88 of Figure 6, showing a bottom plan view of the 15 automatic adjuster.

Figure 9 is a partial section on the line 9-9 of 'Figure 6, transversely through the automatic adjuster;

Figure 10 is a partial section on the line I0-I0 20 of Figure 6, showing the automatic centering mechanism in end plan view;

Figure 11 is a partial section on the line H-H of Figure 6, showing the automatic centering device in side elevation;

Figure 12 is asection corresponding to Figure 1, but showing another modification;

Figure 13 is a partial section on the line l3|3 of Figure 12 through the anchoring and applying means; 3

Figure 14 is a partial section on the line I4l4 of Figure 12 through the automatic centering device;

Figure 15 is a partial axial section through a brake, showing in section another form of 35 centering device; and

Figure 16 is a partial section on the Sine l6l6 of Figure 1, transversely through the anchoring and applying means.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive and 16, the 40 preferred embodiment of my invention comprises the usual rotatable drum ID at the open side of which is a support, such as a backing plate I2, and-within which is arranged the friction means The friction means comprises a pair of identical rigid shoes 14 and I6 preferably T-shaped in cross-section, and provided with suitable steady rests I8. The shoe I4 is the primary or leading shoe in forward braking, and I6 is the secondary shoe.

The brake is applied by means of a double piston hydraulic cylinder 20 having piston rods 22 engaging each shoe and applying to each an equal force. According to an important minor feature of the invention the cylinder 20 is formed in- 55 tegrally with a flange 24 adapted to be adjustably secured to the backing plate, and having rigidly formed thereon, radially outwardly of the cylinder 20, my novel individually-adjustable anchor. The anchor comprises a projection 26 formed with two cylindrical lobes spaced circumferentially of the brake, each of which is adapted to be engaged respectively by a semicircular notch formed in one end of each shoe.

The flange 24 is secured to the backing plate by two bolts 28 projecting through the backing plate l2 and having eccentric portions 30 passing through two openings 32 and 34 widely spaced in the flange. The bolts 28 are provided with heads engaging the inner surface of the flange and with nuts 36 engaging the outer face of the backing plate (see Figure 2). Screwdriver slots on the outer ends of the bolts permit them to be turned (when the nuts have been loosened) to cause the eccentric portions 30 to shift one or both ends of the anchor-carrying flange radially inwardly or outwardly. The opening 32 in the flange is elongated circumferentially to permit the circumferential shifting which necessarily attends the operation of the eccentrics. By shifting one end of the flange more than the other, the integral flange, anchor, and cylinder unit is rotated about an axis parallel to the brake axis, bringing the shoe end engaging one anchor lobe closer to the drum than the other. This constitutes the individual adjustment whereby both shoe ends may be placed in proper relation to the drum.

Return springs 31. are tensioned between the shoes l4 and I6 and the anchor, and serve to maintain the shoes in contact with the anchor when the brake is released.

The opposite ends of the shoes are connected by my novel automatic adjusting device, indicated generally by the numeral 38, which forms in effeet a floating thrust member between the shoes.

The device 38 comprises a right and left hand screw member 40 provided, midway of its length, with a fine-tooth ratchet wheel 42, and having threaded on each end respectively, internally threaded sockets 44 and 48. Each of these sockets is slotted at its outer end to receive the web of one of the shoes l4 or l6 and is pivoted thereto by a pin 46.

A centering device, designated by the reference numeral 49, of the general type disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 1,940,471 issued to A. P. Thomas on December 19, 1933, forms an integral part of my novel automatic adjusting device. It acts on the ratchet wheel to return the shoes to inoperative position when the brake is released and to support the shoes in central relation to the drum when in released position. It comprises a metal strap 50 adjustably secured by bolts, or the like, to the backing plate l2 and having its ends bent inwardly to carry two opposed spring-pressed plungers 52 acting on opposite sides of the ratchet wheel.

The socket 48 is formed with a projection 54 extending radially inwardly of the brake to a point adjacent the periphery of the ratchet wheel 42. Pivoted coaxially thereon are two levers 56 and 58. The outer lever 56 is formed of heavy stock and is urged against an abutment 60 on the member 50 by a spring 62. The inner lever 58 is of thin spring steel and constitutes a pawl adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 42 to turn it when the lever is rotated in a clockwise di rection (Figure 5). The two levers 56 and 58 are interconnected by means of a rectangular hole 64 formed in the lever 56 into which projects a tongue 66 struck from the thin metal of the lever 58. A certain amount of lost motion is provided here by making the width of the hole 64 greater than that of the tongue 66.

A second projection on the socket on the opposite side thereof has secured thereto a spring steel pawl 68 which prevents the ratchet wheel from backing up.

An opening 69 in the backing plate permits access to the lever 56 from outside the brake for emergency manual adjustment thereof.

In operation, when the brake is applied in forward braking, the primary shoe l4 leaves the anchor and is carried by the rotating drum I0 in the direction of the arrow (Figure 1), and the torque of this shoe is transmitted through the adjusting device 38 to apply the secondary shoe. This results in a translation of the adjusting device to the right (Figures 1, 4 or 5) which rotates the lever 56, engaging the fixed stop 60, in a counterclockwise direction. If the brake is sufliciently worn, lever 58 will also be rotated by engagement of the parts 64, 66 and this rotation may be sufficient to permit the lever to engage a new tooth on the ratchet wheel 42. When the brake is released, the centering device 56-52 brings the adjusting device back to its original position, thus permitting the spring 62 to rotate lever 56 back in the clockwise direction. This advances the ratchet wheel one tooth and thus expands the shoes. When proper clearance exists, the movement of the lever 58 is insufficient to engage a new tooth on each application of the brake.

In reverse braking, the adjusting device is translated to the left, the secondary shoe becoming the leading shoe. The spring 62 urges the lever 56 in a clockwise direction (the direction to expand the shoes) but the braking torque which is being transmitted through the adjuster in-,

creases the force required to rotate the lever, so that the spring 62 is stretched without producing any rotation thereof. Consequently no adjustment'occurs in reverse braking.

Due to the fact that the secondary shoe [6 is usually applied with greater force than the primary shoe and therefore wears faster, the pitch of the left-hand thread engaging the socket 44 is preferably about twice that of the pitch of the right-hand thread engaging socket 48. This eliminates the necessity of periodic adjustments of the centering device, and eliminates the danger that the primary shoe will drag when the clearance of the secondary shoe is correct.

Another important feature of the construction of this device is the use of very fine pitch teeth on the ratchet wheel 42, and in combination therewith, the use of the lost motion elements 64--66, whereby a very fine adjustment is made. This should generally be of such nature that approximately one hundred brake applications would be required to take up the normal clearance. Thus, if the brake is heated by application on a long hill, and thereby caused to expand, unless brake applications were made with much greater than normal frequency, it would be impossible to reduce the clearance materially before the brake cooled off again.

The modified brake illustrated in Figures 6 to 11 inclusive is constructed generally similarly to the foregoing, and identical parts therein are designated by the same reference numeral while corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numeral plus one hundred.

In this brake the hydraulic cylinder I20 is separately secured to the backing. plate in any desired manner, and a separate adjustable anchor I26 is provided for each of the shoes I I4 and II 6. These anchors are located radially outwardly of the cylinder I20, and are spaced circumferentially a distance permitting application of a wrench to the securing nuts I36.. 'The anchors comprise threaded bolts I28 adapted to be secured in the backing plate H2 and provided with cylindrical shoe-engaging parts I30 eccentrically located on the bolts. Screw driver slots on the bolts permit them to bejrotated from outside the backing plate to separately adjust the positionof the anchor engaging ends of the shoes.

The opposite ends of the shoes are not pivoted to the adjuster I38 but are notched, and held in thrust relationship with the adjuster by means of a spring III tensioned between the shoe ends.

The. adjusting screw member I46 is rotatably seated in the socket I48 and has only one threaded part, which engages the socket I44.

The projection I54 formed on the socket I48 extends radially outward a'nd carries the adjusting lever I56 which has rigidly secured to it the spring steel pawl. I58. The lever I56 engages an abutment I50 secured to the backing plate I2 and is urged thereagainst by the spring I 62.

An important feature of my invention resides in the novel automatic centering device I49 which, in conjunction with foregoing adjuster, provides complete automatic adjustment of the brake, ex-

clusive of the anchors. Ordinarily the anchors only need to be set once during the life of a set of brake linings.

The device I49 comprises a body II which is preferably movably secured to the backing plate I2 for initial adjustment, and into which is threaded a screw member I2 extending radially of the brake and provided, near its outer end, with a fine tooth ratchet wheel I4. Theouter end of the member I2 is adapted to engage the rim of the brake shoe I I6 when it is in retracted position, and a return spring I6 having one end secured to a bracket I8 and the other end secured to the shoe H6 is provided to urge the shoe thereagainst. Pivoted on the body II, so as to rotate in a. plane generally radial of the brake, is a ratchet arm or pawl 89 whichI prefer to form of thin spring steel, and which operatively engages the ratchet wheel to rotate it. Formed integrally therewith are two additional arms extending in opposite direction at right angles thereto, one of which, 82, engages the inner edge of the web of the shoe H6, and to the other of which, 84, is secured one end of a light Spring 85. The other end of the spring 85 is secured to the bracket I8 fixed on the backing plate. This spring 85 biases the arm in a clockwise direction (the direction in which the pawl engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel I4 to screw the member 12 radially outward). A spring steel pawl 81,.rigidly secured to the backing plate and engaging the ratchet wheel 14 prevents the adjuster from backing up.

Assuming the brake lining is. worn suificiently to cause adjustment to occur, the operation of this brake-is as follows. Application of the brake in forward braking results in translation of the adjuster I38 to the right (Figure 6) and clockwise rotation of the lever I56 (Figure 8), so that it engages a new tooth on the ratchet I42. Upon release of the brake, the spring I6 returns the shoes'to centered position so that shoe II6 rests against the centering device screw I2. This results in counterclockwise movement of the arm I56 under the influence ofthe spring I62, thus roshoe.

tating the screw I40 thereby expanding the shoes. During successive applications, the pawl'slides back and forth on the same tooth until the brake is again sufficiently worn to permit another tooth to be engaged. At the same time, movement of 5 the shoe I I6 toward the drum, as the'brake is applied, permits the spring to rotate the pawl arm 86 clockwise (Figure 11). Release of the brake, and the return of the shoe II6 by the spring 16, brings the pawl back in a counterclockwise direction. As the brake wears, during successive applications, the pawl will slide back and forth upon the same tooth and will rotate the ratchet Wheel I4 a little each time until, upon release of thebrake, it engages a new tooth on the wheel. The next application of the brake will then cause the advancement of the wheel by one toothQresulting in a substantial outward movement of the screw member I2, and thus holding the shoe closer to the drum, whereupon the above-described cycle will be repeated.

The modification of Figures 12 to 14, in which corresponding parts are designated by the same numeral plus 200, employs a single anchor which may preferably project through a radial slot in the backing plate and be adjustably secured there by a. nut 236. A unique mechanical applying device utilizes an operating cable 228 passing into the brake through a bore formed in the anchor. Upon the end of the cable 220 is swaged the stem of a. T-shaped fitting 86 the cross member of which engages a novel toggle. The toggle comprises two levers 88 each of which is made up of a. pair of stampings spot-welded or otherwise secured together for the greater part of their length, 35 but ofiset from each other, at the end, which engages the cross-member of the fitting 86, to form a fork having one part extending on one side of the stem of said fitting and the other part on the other side thereof. The parts engaging the fitting are deeply notched for pivotal engagement therewith and one of the forks is made wider and overlaps the other.

The opposite ends of the levers 88 project part way into rectangular openings 96 formed near the ends of the shoes and are notched for thrust engagement with the edges of these openings.

This embodiment employs the same slack adjuster I38 as that employed in the preceding mod ification, but has a different centering device whichis designated by the numeral 249. This comprises two levers 9| and 92 coaxially pivoted on a pin 93 secured in the backing plate I2. As seen in Figure 14 the lower end of the lever 9| carries a roller 94 for engagement with the rim 55 of the brake shoe 2I6, and tensioned between the upper end of the lever 9| and the backing plate, is a spring 285 which urges this roller into engagement with said rim. Formed integrally with the lever 9| and extending beyond the roller 94 are a pair of parallel spaced projections 95 and 96 forming a fork.

The lever ,92 is offset from the backing plate to lie between these projections and is narrower than the space between them by a distance equal to the desired normal clearance of the brake The lever 92 extends beyond the fork a considerable distance and its end is formed, preferably on an are centered in the pin 93, with ratchet teeth 214 which engage a spring pawl 284 secured to the backing plate. The usual return spring I6 tensioned between the bracket I8 and the shoe 2I6 acts to return the shoe to released positionagainst the centering device.

In operation, when the brake is applied and 75 the shoe 2l6 moves outwardly, the spring 285 causes the arm 9| to swing outwardly, keeping the roller 94 in engagement with the rim of the shoe. This movement will have no effect on the lever 92 as long as normal clearance exists between the shoe and drum, because of the clearance between the projections 95 and 96 and the lever 92 described above. But, if greater movement occurs, on account of wear of the brake lining, the projection 95 will engage the lever 82 and carry it along. If the movement is sufilciently great, the pawl 284 will engage a new tooth 214, so that upon the release of the brake and the return of the shoe by the spring 16, the shoe occupies a new adjusted position radially outward of its old position.

Figure 15 illustrates another form of centering device 349 which may be used in place of the devices I49, and 249 previously described. It consists of a body 31!, which may be die cast, and whichis secured to the backing plate adjacent the rim of the brake shoe 3l6 by bolts or the like. The body 3'" is provided with a twodiameter bore extending radially of the brake and in which is slidably mounted a two-diameter plunger 312 leaving an annular space in which is mounted a compression spring 385 "adapted to urge the plunger outward radially of the brake. The plunger 312 is provided with ratchet teeth 314 adapted to be engaged by a flat spring pawl 384, which for convenience and economy, is preferably secured in place by clamping it between the body- 3H and the backing plate' by the same means which secures the body in position. The ratchet teeth and pawl are arranged to permit the plunger 312 to move radially outward and to restrain inward motion thereof.

The plunger 312 is provided with a threediameter bore, the smallest diameter being at the inner end and the largest at the outer end. A second plunger having a stem 91 which fits slidably in the smallest bore and projects from the inner end of the plunger 312 and having an enlarged head which fits slidably in the largest bore and is adapted to seat against the shoulder I01 in plunger 312, is adjustably secured in the plunger 312 by means of locknuts Hill. The locknuts I should be adjusted to permit the plunger 91, 98 to move a distance equal to the desired normal clearance between the shoe 316 and the drum. A spring 99, in the annular space formed between the stem 91 and the intermediate bore of the plunger 312, urges the plunger 91, 98 radially outwardly. This spring must be stronger than the spring 385. The usual return spring 16, tensioned between the shoe 3l6 and a bracket 18, is provided to urge the shoe to released position against the centering device. This spring is of greater strength than the springs 99 and 385. In operation, when the brake is applied, and the shoe 3l6 moves outwardly toward the drum, the stronger spring 99 moves the plunger 98 outwardly, maintaining its contact with the shoe 3|6. If, due to wear of the brake lining, the shoe moves a distance greater than the normal clearance, the locknuts I00 engage the end of the plunger 312 preventing further relative movement between the two plungers, and the spring 385 forces the plunger 312 outwardly. This movement, if suificient, will permit the pawl 384 to engage a new tooth 314 and upon release of the brake the plunger 312 will be held in the new position, while the plunger 91, 98 is returned to its original position against the shoulder Illl, thus establishing the original normal clearance. While several illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it is not my intention to be limited to those particular embodiments, or otherwise than by the terms of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a brake comprising a drum, a backing plate, and a pair of generally semi-circular shoes having anchorage and applying means between one pair of adjacent ends and an adjusting device floatingly connecting the opposite adjacent ends of the shoes, means for centering the shoes within the drum, an operating lever mounted on said adjusting device, an abutment on the backing plate operatively engaged by said lever when the brake is applied in one direction, and means for yieldingly urging said lever against the abutment.

2. In a brake comprising a drum, a backing plate, and a pair of generally semi-circular shoes having anchorage and applying means between one pair of adjacent ends and an adjusting device fioatingly connecting the opposite adjacent ends of the shoes, means for centering the shoes within the drum, a pair of levers mounted on said adjusting device one of which operatively engages said device, lost motion means between the levers, an abutment on the backing plate operatively engaged by the other lever when the brake is applied in one direction, and means for yieldingly urging said other lever against the abutment.

3. In a brake comprising a drum, a backing plate, and a pair of generally semi-circular shoes having anchorage and applying means between one pair of adjacent ends and an adjusting device fioatingly connecting the opposite adjacent ends of the shoes, means for centering the shoes within the drum, an operating lever mounted on said adjusting device, an abutment on the backing plate operatively engaged by said lever when the brake is applied in one direction, means for yieldingly urging said lever against the abutment, and means secured to the adjusting device for holding it in adjusted position.

4. In a brake comprising a drum, a backing plate, and a pair of generally semi-circular shoes having anchorage and applying means between one pair of adjacent ends and an adjusting device fioatingly connecting the opposite adjacent ends of the shoes, means for centering the shoes within the drum, an operating lever mounted on said adjusting device, an abutment on the backing. plate operatively engaged by said lever when the brake is applied in one direction, and means for yieldingly urging said lever against the abutment, the backing plate being provided with an opening adjacent said lever whereby the lever is made accessible from outside the brake for manual adjustment.

5. In a brake comprising a drum, a backing plate, and a pair of generally semi-circular shoes having anchorage and applying means between one pair of adjacent ends, sockets movably secured to the other ends of the shoes, a thrust member between the sockets and threadedly engaging at least one of them, a ratchet wheel secured to said thrust member, a lever pivoted on one of the sockets having a pawl engaging the ratchet wheel, an abutment fixed to the backing plate and operatively engaged by said lever, resilient means urging said lever against the abutment, and resilient means for centering the shoes Within the drum when the brake is released.

6. In a brake comprising a drum, a backing plate, and a pair of generally semi-circular shoes having anchorage and applying means between one pair of adjacent ends, right and left hand threaded sockets pivotally secured to the other ends of the shoes, a thrust member between the sockets and threadedly engaging them, a ratchet wheel secured to said thrust member, a lever pivoted on one of the sockets having a pawl engaging the ratchet wheel, a second lever pivoted c0- axially with the first, an abutment fixed to the backing plate and operatively engaged by said second lever, 10st motion means between the levers, resilient means urging said second lever against the abutment, and resilient means for centering the shoes within the drum when the brake is released.

7. In a brake of the shiftable anchorage type, having friction means and a support for said friction means, a flange secured to the. support, a fluid pressure actuating device secured to the flange, and a circumferentially-elongated anchor secured to the flange radially outward of the cylinder, said fiange'being provided with means for shifting its position whereby the actuating device and the anchor are moved together to adjust the anchor.

8. In a brake of the shiftable-anchoragetype, a fluid pressure actuating device and an elongated anchor rigidly secured to each other and movable together to provide adjustment of the anchor.

9. An anchor for a brake adapted to be engaged by adjacent ends of friction device comprising a circumferentially-elongated projection having at each end a partial cylindrical lobe, and means for securing said anchor comprising a pair of eccentrics adjacentsaid lobes and each individually rotatable to adjust the positions of said 

